Snakes & Queens
by goldleaves
Summary: How Voldemort got Nagini. One Shot -


Tom watched from the shadows as she circled the younger girl. She was a mystery - Anna Zusak - a seventh year like himself but she was the only one who wasn't afraid of him, and so he watched her.

She had long golden hair, that laid in loose curls down her back and her eyes were a bright corn-flower blue, but her smile was evil - and full of contempt, and her posture was proud and he could tell that her greatest weapon was being underestimated. He had only once before seen a show of her power - In their fifth year, during the time when he had opened the Chamber, the whole of the common room had been speaking about it, and saying that it would come and get her - for even then, she had seemed far too '_Gryffindor_' - so she had stood and with a small mocking curtsy everyone was covered with small cuts that took days to completely heal - but no one ever spoke to the teachers about her - she had gained their respect and fear.

And he knew that as soon as they younger girl had spoken those words - when she called her a Gryffindor coward, she would react and he would enjoy it, so he sat there watching, and waiting.

He wacted as she twirled one of her dark brown strands if hair around her finger and pulled it down causing her to wince in pain,

"What is your name?"

She didn't answer - what a shame, and both Tom and Anna smirked, knowing what was going to happen next, and suddenly a bright red light surrounded the girl, and he watched as her muscles contracted and her eyes turned in and her breathing became laboured, and he smirked as he watched her hands clench as she tried to keep herself from screaming under the pressure of the Cruciatus Curse - even the lowly fourth year knew better than to show weakness.

"What is your name - girl?" Anna spoke once more, as she let the curse stop and the girl who was in pain began to breather heavily,

"Nagini ... Nagini Mancipium"

"Nagini ... such a nice name, for a snake that is ... don't you think?" She didn't answer and instead glared at the girl who held her captive and foolishly tried to escape her grasp but in the end she fell to the floor long bleeding cuts on her body and legs broken from a silent curse,

"Eh-eh-eh, don't be rude, Respect your betters and all that shit"

"You are not my better, you traitorous filth" screeched the girl from the ground, and Tom watched in detached curiosity as Anna's eyes appeared black for a moment, and as the muscled in her back tensed, as if she was a panther, or a cobra waiting to spring on her prey, or as if she was trying not to kill her with a flick of her wrist, trying to contain her anger. And he watched as she remained silent and Nagini began to speak once more.

"You're a coward because you won't serve our lord, you won't serve your lord, you won't try and show tbose less important than us that we are superior, you're a blood-traitor - nothing worse than a ... Weasley, you are filth! you coward! you-" and her incessant screaming was cut off by a bright yellow light and as it dimmed once more, they could see that Nagini Mancipium- the fourth year was gone- and in her place lay a huge dark green viper with dull yellow strips criss-crossing her back and bright orange eyes.

And he watched with interest as Anna sat and pulled the snake to her, carefully holding it's head to avoid being bit by it's venomous fangs,

"I was right, Nagini is a better name for a snake huh?" she spoke looking into it's furious eyes, not caring as the others edged away from her in fear, or that they were still watching at all, she continued to speak to the snake in her lap.

"I do not have a lord, I work and live and survive and - torture - alone, I serve no-one" and she looked up and caught his eyes with her once again corn-flower blue ones and he gave an almost un-perceptible nod, he knew that she would not follow him, but he also knew that if he didn't harm her or her family she would not be threat against him, and he was fine with that, she was more powerful as a possible ally than a servant or a definite enemy.

And she had just rid him of a fool of a woman, he hadn't been planning on helping the girl, she was stupid and loud and coarse despite her pretty looks, and he had never had any intention as taking her as his queen, there was only one who he wished for that title, not because of love, for that emotion was a waste but because of the power she held, and the fear she had instilled upon everyone and the respect she gathered from the rest.

Anna Zusak would make a great Queen, but he knew that she would not diverge from her plans of independence and freedom, she would not join him, and he accepted that.

He watched from the shadows as she stood gracefully, and placed the snake in her arms, and as she walked towards her quarters,a nd the stairs that led to them going past where he sat on the black leather couch.

As she passed, she draped the large snake across his lap and he touched his face with her soft fingers and whispered in his ear, almost silently,

"A present- _my lord_ -she suits being a snake, don't you think?" and walked off further into the shadows and to seclusion, and with a glare to those who remained in the room, he concentrated on the snake curled on his legs, not caring to retaliate at the lack of respect he heard when she used his title.

Yes, he thought, Nagini was such a better name for a snake.


End file.
